Abstract
Advancements in decentralised systems and organisations have revolutionised how systems evolve and are governed. However, system evolution in decentralised environments is inherently risky, often causing unintended consequences that can impact the system and its community. This thesis investigates governance and evolutionary processes in decentralised ecosystems, drawing insights from blockchain consensus mechanisms to Cross-Chain Decentralised Autonomous Organisations (XDAOs).
The research primarily relies on empirical data from primary sources, applying qualitative analysis and risk assessment methodologies to extract fundamental findings on these emerging topics. The thesis identifies key stakeholders and processes that drive governance and evolution in decentralised systems.
This thesis makes several contributions. It presents new techniques and risk assessments for consensus evolution, establishes structured frameworks for governing consensus changes, and deepens the understanding of cross-chain security and architectures by examining attack surfaces, vulnerabilities, and mitigation strategies. Additionally, it provides insights into the governance and evolution in XDAOs, highlighting challenges and dynamics of cross-chain coordination.